Harry Potter and the Mermaid's Pearl
by JoanieSappho
Summary: During Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts, the Wizarding World finds itself under attack by what they thought were merely muggle fairytales. EDIT: Also, there will be the occasional romance/existing couple popping up. Including same gender relationships.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: Neither Mermaid Melody nor Harry Potter belong to me. Very little actually does, so don't bother suing me.

Privet Drive was, to all outward appearances, the most boring and normal place in Britain.

For the first time in his life, Harry Potter found himself wishing that he was as dull and uninteresting as his aunt and the street they lived in. The secret that the Durselys had hidden for so long – even from Harry himself – had caused the boy more trouble than he wanted to think about.

That secret – that Harry Potter was a wizard – had, at first, been exciting and fun, even when he found himself fighting a troll in a girl's bathroom.

But now he honestly wondered if it would have been better if the famous son of James and Lily Potter had been born a squib, capable of as much magic as the average sock.

Straining his eyes in the dark, he slowly scratched away at an essay that wouldn't have to be handed in for well over a month. Like its teacher, the history of magic essay was as boring as imaginable, but Harry forced himself to stay awake and write it. If he was busy working, he reasoned, he wouldn't sleep, or dream about what had happened last year in a dark graveyard.

Eventually, though, the pain in his eyes from reading in the dark and his exhaustion got to Harry. Idly hoping that he was too tired to dream, he hid his books and parchment under the very handy loose floorboard and settled down to sleep.

He was underwater. Initially, Harry was happy with this new dream until he saw cloaked and masked figures drift past, surrounded by shimmering, barely visible bubbles that kept allowed them to breathe.

Following the Death Eaters – he still vividly remembered his first encounter with them at the Quidditch World Cup – six shapes that he had thought were just muggle fiction swam out of the gloom to meet the Death Eaters.

Looking like rather pretty girls apart from their fish-like tails, what had to be mermaids faced off against the Death Eaters. Unable to hear the words being exchanged between the mermaids and Death Eaters, Harry was startled when the far too familiar green of the killing curse was sent from where he watched. A moment later, he was shocked as a glowing white sphere formed around the mermaids – and the killing curse simply hit that sphere and did nothing.

Apparently the Death Eaters were shocked by this as well, as they hesitated before throwing their curses against that sphere.

Taking advantage of that brief pause the mermaids began to sing.

To Harry, the song sounded rather nice, but it clearly wasn't so enjoyable to the Death Eaters. Clutching at their ears, the charms protecting the wizards from the sea collapsed, the Death Eater either fleeing or floating unconscious towards the surface.

Their song ending, the mermaids relaxed their guard. And then Harry saw _him_ rise up behind him.

The inhuman face that haunted his nightmares was twisted into a sneer as _he_ raised his wand and spoke a single word.

"Imperio."

Back in his bedroom, pain shot through Harry's body as his scar seemed to burn.


	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimy: Still on the first page.

A/N: About Kaito appearing – he will. Eventually.

Also, for this chapter only, dialogue written in italics is spoken in Mermish. Dialogue not written in italics is English.

Also also: The immersion/exposure thing. I know, the anime contradicts that. But, as Hogwarts is in Scotland, it's going to rain. _A lot_. Either the weather is freakishly dry, or they need to be immersed in water rather than touch it at all. I chose the latter.

-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=

Dumbledore sighed as he read the newest missive from the Ministry. It said volumes about how far the Ministry had fallen that he now actually _hoped_ that Fudge was under the Imperius, even though all signs pointed to this idiocy being the man's own work.

Listing off the few people he'd actually trust in his school, he sighed, glancing at a small pile of letters. The people he wanted in Hogwarts had all either turned down his request – most hinting at Ministry threats to the working lives of their families and close ones – or were either far too busy with important matters, like Moody, or simply unacceptable in the eyes of the Ministry, like Lupin. Even his attempts to entice Slughorn back so that Snape could have his long desired turn teaching Defence Against the Dark Arts had failed, along with attempts to find someone to teach Charms or Transfiguration.

The idea of giving Snape, McGonagall or Flitwick the DADA job anyway had occurred to him, but as none of those three, despite their many talents, could teach two classes at once, the Ministry would still get their pawn into Hogwarts and, truthfully, while they were all at least competent in that subject, they were better in their current positions.

A slight frown on his face, Dumbledore glanced at one of the many strange devices littering his office.

The device in question was one of the older and least used in the office, dating back several centuries to when contact with the merfolk in the lake had first been established. Deciding to leave to problem of the empty DADA position alone for the time being, Dumbledore made his way down to the lake. It wouldn't be polite to keep the chieftainess of the merfolk waiting if she wanted to talk, after all.

Upon reaching the shore of the lake, Dumbledore found himself raising a brow in surprise. Unlike the handful of other times that she had requested to spea with him, Merchieftainess Murcus was evidently being as formal as possible with this, some that, unlike the Minister of Magic, she rarely did.

Flanked by a pair of spear-armed guards, the wild-looking merwoman stood half-submerged in the lake, watching him with what appeared to be slight nervousness, something that Dumbledore had never seen on her face before.

"_Headmaster of Hogwarts," _she began, keeping the nervousness out of her voice._ "A matter has arisen that requires us to change the treaty that has bound your school and my lake together for so long."_

That announcement prompted the largest outward display of surprise that had crossed Dumbledore's face for over a century. The treaty between Hogwarts and the merfolk in the lake had existed since construction of the school had first began – and it had _never_ even been discussed, let alone changed since then.

"_I am surprised by this request,"_ Dumbledore replied, knowing that by the end of this hi throat was going to be painful. Mermish was never easy on the vocal cords. _"But I will do what I can to ensure that friendship between my school and your lake continues."_

With a surprisingly human nod, Murcus agreed, although she glanced warily at the nearby forest. _"I am also afraid that this discussion cannot be conducted here. What I must tell you must be heard only by yourself. With your permission, I will send my escort back to my village and convey you to a cave where the founders of your school forged this treaty."_

For a moment, Dumbledore entertained the possibility that this was a trap, that Voldemort had somehow tricked or forced the merfolk to do his bidding before he dismissed that notion. Despite past attempts to do exactly that, he had never succeeded in gaining the support of the merfolk in any way. And Dumbledore trusted Murcus.

Getting to see the place where the founders had brokered the treaty with the merfolk would be a nice bonus, too.

"_I trust you, old friend,_" he answered after a few moments. "_I will discuss this with you in the place you have chosen." _

Her gills widening in the mermish equivalent of a sigh, the merchieftiness immediately dismissed her guards and motioned for Dumbledore to follow her.

Pausing long enough to cast the Bubble-Head charm on himself, the headmaster waded into the lake, following as she dove down into the water.

The cave was, Dumbledore noted, completely unremarkable other than the ancient, yet still remarkably effective web of spells that had been cast on and around it. While he recognised the air-replenishing charm and several very strong privacy spells, his knowledge of magic failed him when it came to identifying some of the wards protecting it. Making a note to see if he could come back here and study this place later, he sat down on a comfortable chair that had appeared for him, Murcus assuming a lounging position in a magically suspended body of water opposite him.

"_Before we begin,"_ the merwoman said, her face now relaxed. "_I must ask for a binding vow that you will not speak of what I tell you here to any creature other than your firebird. I do not wish to ask this of you, but I must."_

Resisting the urge to frown, Dumbledore considered this odd request before, slowly, nodding. He was slightly surprised at the hint that she might know how well he was ble to communicate with Fawkes, but he managed to keep that from appearing on his face, as well.

"_I agree to your terms,"_ he replied, not at all surprised when she produced a small coral knife. While wizards typically shied away from blood magic, merfolk have none of the aversion. And, Dumbledore admitted, the only oath more binding than a blood oath was the aptly named Unbreakable Vow.

After the necessary cut and stating of his oath, Dumble sat back down, leaning forwards in his interest to hear what ever it was that was so important that it required this level of secrecy.

With another sighing flutter of her gills, Murcus began to speak.

"_I am sorry to say that for as long as I have known you I have kept a secret from you," _she began.

"_While you are fully aware of the mundane – or as you call it, Muggle – world and your magical world, there is a third, as hidden and secret as your own is to the muggles. Not even my people know of this world, even though we stand on the shore between it and your world. One law of my people that you may no t be aware of is that none of us – _ever - _ may swim so deep in the ocean that they cannot see the light of the sun from the surface. Those who do are, with exception of hesitation, Shunned. It is once of our highest punishments, for one Shunned is worse than dead to us. Although they are unharmed, we cannot perceive them in any way. The could scream in our face, write in the sand beneath us or strike us and we would not hear them, see their message or even feel their blow."_

Dumbledore sat back in shock. This punishment was like nothing he had ever heard. While Notice-Me Not charms could cause a similar effect, those charms never lasted for long and did not so completely remove a person from the senses of another.

"_The reason for this is simple,_" Murcus continued. "_As I, and the other leaders of the tribes learn when we assume the leadership of our people, the Darkness is just as inhabited as the sea and the land. Beneath the waters where my people may go, there exist eight kingdoms, one of which has been sealed away, and seven more. It is the leaders of six of those that have caused the need for a change in our treaty. Your enemy … now controls them."_

Dumbledore blinked. He wasn't entirely sure that he was capable of anything more than that, not with everything that was happening in his head. There was an entire world hidden away that no wizard – that no _human_ had even heard of before? And yet, somehow, Voldemort now practically controlled it?

"_How did Voldemort know of this world? And what changes to you want to make to the treaty?"_

"_I am afraid that Duruuk, the leader of another tribe was taken by his followers," _Murcus replied. "_I would assume that he was attempting to force Duruuk's support when he took him, and that Duruuk did not give him this knowledge willingly. Willingly or not, though, six of the seven kingdoms below are in hiding from their own leaders, whilst the seventh … is part of the change that I require. Although no being not at least partially human has either attended or taught at your school, I must request that you allow both. The leader of the seventh kingdom is not safe in the sea, no on the land. While we would protect her within my village, our defenses are not sufficient to prevent a large assault. Yours are. One thing was made clear in the knowledge that I was given – together, the seven leaders have the power of a goddess at their call. If our enemy captures the seventh leader and controls her like he does the others, he will gain that power. I think neither of us want that. If these two are within your castle, my tribe with fight and die to protect your school."_

First the ministry wanted to force a teacher on him and now the merfolk? Dumbledore sighed. Between the two, he'd trust the merfolk more. Still, certain questions need to be asked first.

"_If neither the teacher nor the student is human, we may not be able to hide them. The school is full of eyes, and many of them are the enemy's. Any non-humans would draw immediate attention."_

Murcus shook her head.

"_Fortunately, appearance will not be a problem. Both are capable of appearing as human if this wish, save when immersed in water."_

"_Immersed or simply exposed?"_ Dumbledore asked. "_If pouring water over them would reveal them …"_

"_Completely immersed," _the merwoman replied. "_Bathing or swimming would reveal them, but pouring water would not."_

"_Good,_" the headmaster sighed. If they turned back into their natural forms whenever they touched water, then their cover would be blown the first time someone spilled a drink on them, or they were pranked, or the first time that they were caught out in the rain.

"_Are they capable of our kind of magic? And does your teacher know our defensive spells?"_

"_I asked them this myself," _Murcus answered. "_While few of them take the time to learn your arts, they are all capable of it, especially their leaders. While not one of their leaders, the teacher is one of the few who has studied your magic, and believes that she is more than capable of teaching it at a sufficient level for your students."_

"_Well, I suppose I had better meet my new teacher, then," _Dumbledore sighed.


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Still where it used to be

A/N: As for the song lyrics (come on, you've seen Mermaid Melody, right? There's not much I can do to avoid at least a few references to the songs) I got them from the internet. They may be wrong. If you know better, tell me and I'll correct them. Also: don't worry about having entire songs thrown at you all the time. Unless I randomly change my mind, you'll only ever get fragments of them.

UPDATE A/N: Not a new chapter, but an extended one. As the last one was short, and I can't really lengthen this one anymore without obvious filler.

Also, there will occasionally be random references to … well, lots of things. TV shows, books, anything that comes to mind,. I doubt that any these will have any major impact on the story, but if you think you've caught one of my references, let me know. Maybe you'll win something.

But you won't.

Also, just to get you thinking, there are three important sortings in this chapter. One is rather obvious. One is kinda obvious, and the other really shouldn't be obvious at all.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade Station, Harry was frowning at the window of his compartment; not really seeing what lay outside the train, and was only shaken from his contemplation by the gentle but insistent voice of Ginny's friend.

And by Ginny herself, grabbing his arm and, from the way it felt, pulling his arm out of its socket. With those subtle reminders, he followed Ginny and her quiet, ethereal friend off of the train, determinedly avoiding Hermione's curious and slightly worried look and half-heartedly listening to Ron and Neville's conversation.

He knew that eventually Hermione would corner him and try to get him to tell her what had put him in this current silent mood, but Harry found that he didn't really want to talk about it. He wasn't even sure of the reasons himself. He just had this feeling that this year wasn't going to be particularly fun.

Even Hagrid's bellow to the incoming new students barely penetrated his mind as he trudged along with his friends, and the squeaky crackling of the station's ancient tannoy system coming to life went unnoticed by him, although a few of the other students looked around curiously at it.

When the singing started, however, Harry was quickly jolted away from his confused thoughts. Into pain that reminded him far too much of the Cruciatus he had suffered during the last year.

The voice was one that he dimly remembered from somewhere, but the words were unfamiliar to him and, to be honest, his mind was on other things at the time.

"_Kiite mune no…"_

Almost as soon as the first words had forced their way through his ears and into his mind Harry found his body aflame with pain, his knees folding underneath him and sending him falling to the ground, his glasses – and his head – bouncing as they hit the concrete of the floor.

"_Aoi umi no oyogo sango no …"_

Not really noticing the slight extra pain from his fall, Harry forced himself back to his feet, feeling around frantically for his glasses before abandoning them and lurching painfully towards the blurry little station office, where the singing had to be coming from.

Stumbling over something soft on the ground, Harry could make out the shape of someone with short pale hair underneath him. Hoping that he'd just stood on Malfoy, he found himself struggling as a massive hand caught his arm and stabilised him, only stopping when he heard Hagrid's distinctive voice.

"Careful, Harry," the giant man mumbled as he lumbered onwards, Harry staggering along behind him.

Dimly aware of a flash of red hair to one side of him and what seemed like purple on the other, Harry fished his wand out of his pocket as Hagrid slammed into the station office's door, splintering the old wood with apparent ease.

There was just enough time for Harry to catch sight of a pink glow from within the office before Hagrid was sent stumbling back, spells from his wand and the two beside him spiralling into the office, the singing stopping with the sudden, now-familiar cracking of Disapparation.

Having recognised Ginny's voice from her rather shaky spellcasting a moment ago, Harry turned to try and see who else had followed him.

Without his glasses he couldn't make out many details, but he had no difficulty making out the short purple hair, and he could see well enough to figure out that it was a woman, and too tall and the wrong shape to be a schoolgirl.

Absently, he noted that, for once, his scar hadn't been hurting him, even though everything else had.

Even after Ginny had retrieved his mercifully unbroken glasses, Harry couldn't quite place the purple-haired woman had had join him, Ginny and Hagrid in trying to apprehend the singing attacker.

His first thought had been Tonks, even though he had heard nothing about her coming to Hogwarts when he had been at Grimmauld Place.

Of course, he mused bitterly as the silent group of students trudged into the Great Hall, there was a lot he didn't hear, especially from his friends in the Order. And, considering how easily she could change her appearance, his first guess might still be true, even though he doubted it. This quiet woman just didn't seem at all like Tonks. She may have been an Auror, but Harry didn't think Tonks could become so radically different from her normal self.

The Great Hall was the quietest Harry had ever seen it – with the exception of the end of last year – when Dumbledore stood.

"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," he began, the characteristic twinkle in his eyes absent. "While I am relieved to inform you that none of your fellow students have been harmed by the incident in Hogsmeade, I will not pretend that what you suffered should never have happened. Although some of the staff have suggested that we suspend Hogsmeade visits for all-"

The uproar from the students that followed that was quickly ended by a few bangs from Dumbledore's wand.

"As I was saying. While some of the staff suggested that, Hogsmede visits will still take place. However, due to this attack, there will be both Hogwarts staff and Ministry Aurors patrolling the town during those visits. Also, I strongly recommend, that all students stay in groups of at least three at all times. A fuller explanation of the changes to Hogmeade visits will be posted in your common rooms shortly."

Dumbledore sighed.

"And now, to happier news. As you've no doubt noticed, we have a new member of staff. Professor Nanami has graciously agreed to take over the Defense position this year."

The purple-haired woman gave a small wave from her seat at the head table, a shadow of their old twinkle returning to Dumbledore's eyes.

"And now," the Headmaster concluded. "The Sorting!"

After a song that was even more depressing than last year's from the hat, the Sorting began with a nervous-looking boy that Harry had vaguely noticed before.

"Abercrombie, Euan!"

Pausing for a moment, the hat's mouth opened up with a shout of "Gryffindor!"

And then;

"Buford, Christopher!"

"Slytherin!"

"Fletcher, Marie!"

"Hufflepuff!"

"Johansen, Otto!"

"Slytherin!"

"Layton, Luke!"

"Ravenclaw!"

Harry wasn't really paying much attention to the Sorting, simply clapping every time he heard Gryffindor, but the next name caught his interest.

"Nanami, Seira!"

Although the tiny first year in question didn't look much like the new Defence teacher, Harry was sure that they were related. For one thing, the name was a fairly big clue, but there was also … something about them. He couldn't quite identify it, but the purple-haired teacher and the small redheaded girl were … different somehow.

Harry also noted that the Sorting Hat took a long time with the small girl before finally speaking. Or, rather, shouting.

"Hufflepuff!"

Much as Neville had, the new Hufflepuff forgot to take the hat off until she was halfway to her new House's table, prompting a wave of laughter around the Hall.

Feeling in a much better mood after that, Harry leant back in his chair and watched the rest of the Sorting, applauding as "Weir ,Marigold!" became the last of the new Gryffindors, and chuckled at Ron's mutter of 'finally!' when 'Zeller, Rose!' was sorted into Hufflepuff and the food appeared.

In contrast to Ron's full-frontal assault on his food, Harry noticed that Marigold, the new Gryffindor first year who had sat across the table and a little way down from him, was simply pushing her food around her plate, peering worriedly through her glasses as a plate of potatoes.

Harry could certainly understand the young girl's lack of appetite. After what had happened he wasn't feeling particularly hungry himself, either.

Ginny, too, was merely nibbling at her food, staring at an empty spot on the table.

Sighing, Harry looked back at the first year. He wanted to try and comfort Ginny, but she was too far down the table to talk to without having to shout over the heads of several other students, so instead he turned his attention to the small, miserable looking first year.

"Are you alright?" he asked, knowing that was hardly the best choice of words but unable to come up with anything better.

The girl gave a little start when Harry spoke, her glasses slipping a little way down her nose before she pushed them back up.

"I … I'm fine," she replied quietly and rather unconvincingly, looking away and poking at a carrot with her fork.

Although silence simply _never_ happened during a meal in the Great Hall, it was the quietest start of term feast that Harry could ever remember, the chatter subdued and the laughter rare and weak.

With a sigh, Harry pushed his barely-touched plate of food away from him, absently wondering just how Ron managed to eat so much. Finally Dumbledore stood, repeating his yearly list of the school rules.

With the feast finally over, Harry followed along behind Ron and Dean, half-listening to their chatter about Quidditch. Hermione, who had been silent throughout the feast, had produced a slim book from somewhere and was reading as she trailed along behind most of the other Gryffindors.

"At least things can't get any worse," Harry heard Neville mutter to himself. Although he hoped his friend was right and that things could only get better from here, Harry had the sinking feeling that Neville had just jinxed the whole coming year.


	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: You really should know by now.

Also, I aten't dead, and neither is this. I just was busy. Then tired. Then slightly ill with an embarrassing stomach condition. Then busy again.

But, I WILL get to the end of this story! Hopefully before I hit ninety years old.

And, while this is short, it's _here_/

* * *

The next day, Harry was in a particularly foul mood. Not only was he suffering from the usual amount of teenage angst, but Seamus – and his mother – apparently thought he was a delusional idiot who had lied about what had happened to Cedric. And he had potions with Snape.

As far as Hermione and Marigold were concerned, though, that was no excuse for pushing irritably past the little first year on his way out of the common room. brPicking herself back up, the small girl glared at the departing back of the Boy-Who-Lived-And/Or-Lied. Watching as Hermione lectured him mercilessly about his rudeness all the way done to breakfast, Marigold considered her upcoming herbology lesson with the first year Hufflepuffs with some concern.

_She_ would be there, and if _she_ realised who she was then Marigold was going to have some serious problems.

* * *

After a typically unpleasant potions lesson, Harry was actually feeling better. Now that the lesson with Snape was out of the way, the day could only get better. And after a typically unremarkable charms lesson, he had his first defence lesson of the year.

Unlike the previous people to teach that particular lesson, Nanami had left the classroom bare, her only additions a single framed picture on her desk and a small stack of books.

And, as Harry discovered while she was taking the class register, a penguin. Wearing some sort of outfit.

Harry was so intent on staring at the creature that he missed the beginning of the lesson. Fortunately, though, Nanami didn't seem to notice his lack of attention, or Ron elbowing him in the side.

Muttering about the elbow despite being glad that he his attention had been brought back to the lesson before he got into trouble, Harry started listening to the teacher instead of staring at her pet.

"…and while we do have the material in the book to cover," she was saying, apparently not noticing that, like Harry, a lot of the class were paying more attention to the penguin than her. "I'm also going to go back and cover some of the things that you seem to have missed in your previous year."

From the group of students that was actually listening to her (which included Harry and Hermione but not Ron) a few groans were made at that.

"Unless you actually know it. You, erm …" Nanami looked around the classroom, then back down at her desk. "Malfoy. Name one magical and one non-magical way of passing a kappa." She smiled slightly at Malfoy, who had been one of the groaners. "It's only third-year material, so you shouldn't have a problem."

Malfoy flushed at that. "Bribe it with cucumbers and …. the relashio spell."

"Only half right." Nanami replied. "Giving it cucumbers – with your name carved into them – does indeed work, but the relashio would, at best, annoy a kappa. Mr Weasley," she turned rather suddenly, startling Ron who had been snickering at Malfoy's mistake."Name three spells that can overcome a vampire. Again, this is material you should have covered two years ago."

"Um …" Ron looked around helplessly at the sudden question. "… incendio?" At Nanami's nod, he continued. "Stupefy and bombarda?"  
"Again, one right. Incendio does work. Stupefy won't at all, and while bombarda would hurt a vampire, they could recover from it, given enough time. Now, I think my point's been made? We'll start off with first year material and move along as quickly as we can. So, let's start with simple hexes and counter-hexes …"

While the rest of the class was taking notes, one student was scribbling down a message that would cause a lot of people a lot of trouble.


	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: You really should know by now.

* * *

Herbology was … interesting.

Although Seira was used to the peculiarities of some of the more exotic sea-floor plants, the wizards had a whole new level of weird vegetation.

Most of which seemed to want to kill her, the Gryffindor she had been partnered with, or both of them at the same time.

"These things really seem to like you," the Gryffindor in question, a dark-haired girl with glasses, said quietly as she yet again cast a simple heating charm to cause the Devil's Snare that had wrapped itself around Seira's hand to back off.

"At least you get to practice that spell," Seira replied, smiling her thanks. "You're getting good at it now."

They were nearing the end of the lesson by now, and Seira had quickly decided that she liked the other girl.

Marigold had been shy and nervous when Professor Sprout had first made them work together but, considering that it was her first day, Seira couldn't really blame her.

Marie – as she revealed she preferred to be called, had settled down during the lesson, and her sarcastic sense of humour had quickly surfaced, much to Seira's amusement.

They had chatted quietly over the work, not really touching on any important subjects although Seira had confirmed Marie's suspicion that she was 'Professor' Nanami's younger sister, learning that Marie also had an older sister, although she didn't go to Hogwarts.

As Marie had looked rather unhappy when she said that, Seira had quickly changed the subject.

Glancing out to the lake, Seira sighed before realising that Marie was watching her.

"Sorry," she said, sheepishly, poking her wand at the plant that was once again trying to discretely get a grip on Marie. "That lake just looks … nice. It's a pity that we can't go swimming in it."

"We could always just sneak out," Marie replied with a smirk. "It's only against the rules if you get caught, after all."

Seira frowned at that. "Maybe, but …" she shuddered as something else occurred to her. "… but d you really want to run the risk of getting caught by Filch? In your swimming … things?"

"Oh. No. Really, no." Marie pulled a face, yelping a few moments later as she realised that the Devil's Snare had gotten hold of her wand.

* * *

For a certain group of Gryffindors lunch that day was quite unenjoyable. Harry was still annoyed at how quickly everyone had started to believe that he had been making everything up, Hermione was muttering word that a girl her age probably shouldn't have known as she read the Daily Prophet, and Ron …

Actually, Ron was reasonably happy. He hadn't had to compete with Harry for the treacle tarts, and Hermione was too busy being angry at whatever she was reading to notice as his favourites continuously disappeared from her plate.

He might not have liked how everyone had turned against Harry either but, right now, he was enjoying the food far too much to worry.

Until Hermione slammed the newspaper down, anyway. Ron knew from experience that an angry Hermione was bad news, especially for him.

"Just … just read this," she muttered to Ron and Harry, jabbing her finger at the paper.

Ron tilted his head. "I can't. It's upside …" he glanced up at Hermione's face and immediately shrank back. " … down .."

She sighed, causing Ron to breath a sigh of relief that, for once, her anger wasn't directed at him. Harry was still picking at his food despondently.

"The Minister of Magic has appointed a 'High Inquisitor' to keep an eye on the staff, students and lessons of Hogwarts. Since our last two teachers were apparently 'a dangerous Dark creature maskerading as an innocent teacher' and an insane man with absolutely no ties to the Dark Lord at all …" She huffed. "Oh, and the first two were just poor innocent people who suffered mysterious deaths and injuries which, the Prophet is happy to note happened at the same time that you came here, Harry. Oh, and apparently people are wondering just how Dumbledore managed to let so many bad things happen in this school." She growled, startling Ron but, surprisingly, echoing Harry.

"They actually said that about Lupin?" Harry asked, twisting his head around to read the paper. "They … right, I'll give them Crouch, he _was_ a nutter, but Lupin's the best teacher we've had! Lockhart was a bloody fraud-"

"Harry, mind your lang-"

"-and Quirrel had bloody Voldemort-"

"Don't say his name, Harry!"

"-on the back of his bloody head!"

"Really, you should watch your …" Hermione sighed as Harry fumed over the paper, ignoring her completely. "Why do I bother …" she muttered to herself.


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Do not sue me. For anything. Please?

Also, yes. Is short.

* * *

_Finally! Time hadn't really existed for her, but she had still managed to be impatient for this. But finally she'd be born!_

…

…

… _no. This wasn't supposed to happen! Who are those two? And- ooh! Pretty! Wait… no! Bad pretty man! Bad! I want to be born not… whatever it is you're doing to me!_

_Become part of you? But I've not even become me yet! No! Stop!_

…

_.._

… _cold. He's so cold and angry and alone and cold … _

… _I'm not going to be born, am I? It's just going to be like this, isn't it? Just a tiny voice in this cold, lonely void … all alone … always … _

Seira had never quite hated that nightmare as much as she now did. After all, she'd managed to keep it secret until now.

The tired, worried faces looking down at her now, though, were pretty good indicators that her secret was out.

"Are you alright?" Rose Zeller, the only blonde in her dormitory, was the first to speak up. Seira nodded in reply as she sat up, not really wanting to talk about any of it.

"Bad dream?" Marie Fletcher asked, smiling in what she probably thought was a reassuring way. "Don't worry, we all get those. If you want to talk about it-" which she _didn't_ "– just let me know, alright? You're a Hufflepuff, you know. You'll never be alone now."

Seira smiled slightly at that. She hadn't thought that she'd be accepted here quite so quickly, but … they actually seemed to care about her already.

"Thank you. I … just … thanks." _I'm not going to start crying. I'm not. I'm n- … I did._

"How about we go rob the kitchens?" Rose asked as Seira sniffled into her pillow. "I'm sure we can find some leftover pudding."

"Do you even know where the kitchens are?" Marie loked at her doubtfully, one arm around Seira.

Rose shrugged. "I'm the youngest of three, remember? My brother told me where they were."

"I've met your brother, Rose," Marie looked even more doubtful. "Do you _really_ think he was telling the truth?"

The blonde grinned at her. "For once, yes. I asked my sister and she pretty much confirmed it. So, how about some cake, Seira?"

As the other two girls left the room, Marie shook her head and sighed. "This is going to end in disaster …" she muttered to herself before following after them in hopes of cake.

==--==--==--==--==

The being that had crept into the fifth year boys' dormitory _really_ shouldn't have been there.

As Dumbledore had been told weeks earlier, there had never been a student or teacher in Hogwarts who wasn't at least partly human.

Until recently, anyway.

It had taken her a lot of discrete poking around and several dozen innocent little questions but, eventually, she had learned enough to guess what the secret of two pranksters' early success had come from … and where it had gone to.

And how it could ruin her before she even had a chance to do what she came here for.

She didn't know what it looked like, either, so she'd just have to steal everything here that it could be.

She wasn't going to lose _her_ because of some stupid human poking their nose into her business.

As the word 'map' had come up in some of the rumours concerning Harry Potter's annoyingly dangerous secret possession, she slowly and carefully took every piece of parchment that she could find out in the open before turning her attention to possible hiding places.

Under a mattress or pillow was certainly somewhere it could be hidden but, considering that every mattress and pillow currently had a human on top of it, looking there was out of the question.

The trunks were first. Luckily, despite the ability of these humans to protect their belongings in ways that would be difficult for her to get around silently, the four trunks had none of the protective spells they could have had.

Well, almost. In one of them there was an odd little device that had tried to spin around and make a noise when she found it but, luckily, it was already muffled in a pair of thick, ugly socks, so she managed to bury it under some clothes before it could cause more than a grunt from one of the still-sleeping humans.

With a few more pieces of parchment added to her little collection, she turned her attention to the unoccupied pieces of furniture in the room, turning up a few more as well as an … _interesting_ magazine under the bed that was relevant to her interests, so she added that to the pile, too.

As she crept out of the room and back to her own dormitory, she hoped that she'd gotten the map, and that the humans hadn't noticed that she wasn't who or what they thought she was. That revelation would come later.

And then she would make them _suffer_ for what they had done.


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Still not Rowling. Or whoever owns Mermaid Melody.

Also, again, is short. However, is existing.

There's another project that's taken up quite a bit of my time, so ... this is what you get.

* * *

Until said project is done and posted up here too.

Paperwork. It had been unfamiliar to Nikora, but now it was rapidly becoming second nature. She understood that it was important to have things written down so that they wouldn't be forgotten as time passed, but that sort of record keeping was the full extent of mermaid literacy - they only wrote things that they thought were important.

Humans on the other hand, possibly because they _didn't _have to do all their writing with a chisel on especially hard, erosion-resistant stone, seemed to want to write down _everything_.

She'd much rather insist on each student giving a spoken answer instead of an essay, but that would mark her out even more from the rest of the teachers, and that would not do. For Seira's sake, not to mention the sake of everyone else in the world, she _couldn't _draw attention. That would defeat the whole point of being here. Sure, this castle had high, strong walls and layered defences that had taken centuries to build, but anonymity was just as effective a defence as all of that stone and magic.

Halfway through grading one of the seemingly endless stream of essays, she was jolted out of her half-asleep state by someone else storming into the staff room.

Glancing up, the source of this unusual disruption was, surprisingly, McGonagall.

The Scottish woman had struck Nikora as someone who was in full control of their emotions, but she was definitely irritated right now.

Not wanting to attract the attention of an angry McGonagall, Nikora remained silent, even though she was rather curious about the cause of this uncharacteristic display.

The arrival of the short and pleasant Flitwick brought a quick end to Nikora's curiosity as the amusing Charms professor had the courage to ask McGonagall the question that Nikora was afraid of.

It seemed that the 'High Inquisitor' from the Ministry had turned up and had most definitely rubbed McGonagall up the wrong way.

From her description, Nikora began to dread _her_ inspection, even though it wouldn't happen for another week.

" ..._and," _McGonagall was continuing to vent at her patient colleague."I found a stash of dirty magazines in the dorms!"

"That's not all that unusua-" Flitwick tried to say, before McGonagall swept on.

"In the _first year girls'_ dorm."

The little Charms professor couldn't find anything to say about that.

Luckly for him, though, McGonagall had finally noticed Nikora.

"Oh, and Nanami? One of my prefects found your ... daughter?" The Scottish woman shrugged. "Anyway, they found her and a couple of first year Hufflepuffs sneaking out of the kitchens last night. I thought you'd like to know."

Nikora sighed. They hadn't been at Hogwarts for long and Seira was _already_ sneaking out at night? _She'd better have a good excuse,_ Nikora thought to herself as she nodded back to McGonagall.


End file.
